New Rock CD Reviews

June CD Releases

2009-05-31T14:26:00.006-04:00

		1 June Monday
		Franz Ferdinand	Blood [dub version of Tonight: Franz Ferdinand]
		Gala	Tough Love [EP]
		Patrick Wolf	The Bachelor
		2 June Tuesday
		311	Uplifter
		Butterfly Boucher	Scary Fragile
		Elvis Costello	Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
		Dave Matthews Band	Whiskey And The Groogrux King
		Drop Dead, Gorgeous	The Hot N' Heavy
		Eels	Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs Of Desire
		Hoots & Hellmouth	The Holy Open Secret
		Iggy Pop	Preliminaires [Int'l release: May 18]
		Luaka Bop	21st Century, 21st Year
		Rancid	Dominos Fall
		Ryan Star	11:59
		Taking Back Sunday	New Again
		Vanessa Williams	The Real Thing
		7 June Sunday
		Chickenfoot [Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Chad Smith and Joe Satriani]	Chickenfoot [Best Buy]
		8 June Monday
		Placebo	Battle For The Sun
		9 June Tuesday
		9mm Solution	The Dream Is Dead
		Anti-Flag	People Or The Gun
		Black Eye Peas	The E.N.D.
		Lynda Carter [Wonder Woman]	At Last
		The Dead Weather [Jack White & Alison Mosshart]	Horehound
		Dirty Projectors	Bitte Orca
		Iron Maiden	Flight 666 [Live]
		Kasabian	West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
		Lil Wayne	Rebirth
		Rhett Miller [Old 97's singer]	Rhett Miller
		Post Honeymoon	Post Honeymoon
		Placebo	Battle For The Sun
		So Many Dynamos	The Loud Wars
		Sonic Youth	The Eternal
		There For Tomorrow	A Little Faster
		16 June Tuesday
		William Fitzsimmons	Live Sessions EP, Recorded At Downtown Studios [iTunes exclusive]
		Incubus	Moments And Melodies [Greatest hits]
		The Jonas Brothers	Lines, Vines And Trying Times
		Loop 2.4.3.	Zodiac Dust
		Math The Band	Don't Worry
		Spinal Tap	Back From The Dead
		Tiny Masters Of Today	Skeletons
		Ashley Tisdale	Guilty Pleasure
		Twista	Category F5
		23 June Tuesday
		Al B. Sure!	Honey I'm Home
		Alexisonfire	Old Crows/Young Cardinals
		Amber Asylum	Bitter River
		Deer Tick	Born On Flag Day
		The Dear Hunter	Act III: Life And Death
		Dream Theater	Black Clouds & Silver Linings
		Dinosaur Jr.	Farm
		He Is Legend	It Hates You
		Patterson Hood [Drive-By Truckers]	Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)
		The Lemonheads	Varshons
		The Mars Volta	Octahedron
		Regina Spektor	Far
		STS9	Peaceblaster : The New Orleans Make It Right Remixes
		Third Eye Blind	Ursa Major
		Tortoise	Beacons of Ancestorship
		Pete Yorn	Back And Fourth
		30 June Tuesday
		Bone Thugs N Harmony	Uni5
		Cetan Clawson Revolution	White Heat
		The Fiery Furnaces	I'm Going Away
		Levon Helm	Electric Dirt
		Killswitch Engage	Killswitch Engage
		organicArma	Awarned [EP]
		Rob Thomas	Cradlesong
		Wilco	Wilco (The Album)

Band Reunions and Tours

2009-05-31T12:22:00.008-04:00

I have noticed lately that a lot of formerly broken up bands are reuniting this year. They are either doing a reunion tour, a new album, or both. The question remains whether these bands will stay together or if this is only a short term deal. Reunions make me a bit skeptical about a band's future and the reasons why they are getting back together. Bands usually break up for good reasons and I wonder if they will survive a second go and resist wanting to wring each others throats. These bands are also at a disadvantage since they have been out of the limelight for so long. Luckily, many reunited bands have a loyal following with fans that have continued to listen to their old music and the music of the members who went on to solo endeavors and other bands. Here are some notable band reunions happening now:

1) No Doubt - No Doubt has been in the studio off and on throughout 2008 and are currently touring the U.S. with special guest Paramore while finishing up their new album. The group hasn't performed together in over four years and hasn’t had a new studio album since 2001’s Rock Steady. They broke up due to arguments and strain between the members of the band, especially lead singer Gwen Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal who dated then broke up. I always liked No Doubt much better that Gwen Stefani's solo music so I am looking forward to what the band has in store for fans in the upcoming months.

2) Blink 182 - Punk/rock band Blink 182 announced their reunion February 8th with plans to record a new album. Their North American summer tour runs from July 24th to October 3rd and is already creating huge buzz and ticket sales with the added value of popular supporting acts like The All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, and Taking Back Sunday. All three members of Blink 182 went on to perform with popular alternative bands, such as singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge's Angels and Airwaves and Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker's band +44 so I have high hopes for the success of their reunion tour but wonder about the long-run status of the band considering the fact that all three members are not abandoning their post-Blink bands.

3) Creed - On April 27, after a six-year hiatus, rock band Creed announced that all four of the original band members are back together for a summer tour and new album. But how permanent is this reunion? That all depends on how popular the new album and tour will be and, ultimately, on the decisions of the band members themselves.

What do you think about these band reunions? Excited for their new albums and tours or wondering why and how long they will stay together this time? Post your comments below.

Phoenix CD Review

2009-05-28T20:18:00.003-04:00

May 26 marked the release of "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," the fourth album from French rock band, Phoenix. Their music is a blending of genres; I will call it retro-pop/rock with a bit of electro/synth. When I first listened to short clips of the songs, I didn't hear anything too unique. Other bands have a similar sound: I call them "the" bands (The Killers, The Hives, The Strokes, etc.) I hadn't listened to this genre much since "the" bands were basking in the height of their popularity, around 2004. It seems the genre is making a bit of a comeback. Newer bands like MGMT, Silversun Pickups, and now, Phoenix have taken the music scene by surprise, beginning a revival of the retro/rock genre. Phoenix's sound is familiar yet different. When I listened to each song in its entirety, my prior assumptions were absolved. The tunes on this album are infectious and fun. They are all great songs too. The instrumentals are not extremely complex (aside from "Love Like A Sunset Pt. 1" which is a beautiful all-instrumental song) but the steady drum beats and guitar chords give Phoenix that distinctive retro/indie sound. At first, the catchy upbeat tunes mask the musical and lyrical depth at their core. "Rome" has some of my favorite lyrics: "1,000 years remain in the trashcan/I burned the cigarette somewhere/Ashes still it fall fall falls." My favorite songs on the cd are "Lasso" and "Lisztomania" for their upbeat energy and "gets in your head all day" sing-along chorus and melody. I dare you to not tap your foot along. You may even break out into a little dance when no one's looking! I give "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" 4 stars and major props for revitalizing my interest in retro/rock.

Track list:
01 Lisztomania
02 1901
03 Fences
04 Love Like A Sunset Pt. 1
05 Love Like A Sunset Pt. 2
06 Lasso
07 Rome
08 Countdown
09 Girlfriend
10 Armistice

Here is Phoenix's music video for "Lisztomania"

(album image from Amazon.com)

Podcast 1 - June Rock CD Releases

2009-05-24T16:54:00.003-04:00

Take a listen to my first podcast highlighting cd's to look forward to in June.

June 2 – 311, Dave Matthews Band, Taking Back Sunday

June 9 – Kasabian, Placebo

June 16 – Incubus

June 23 – The Mars Volta, Pete Yorn, Alixisonfire, He Is Legend

June 30 - Wilco

The Concert Experience

2009-05-22T16:47:00.008-04:00

To me, rock music Is not just about listening to the band on CD. For bands I really love, I jump at the chance to see them in concert. There is something magical that happens when the music comes to life through the energy and passion of a live performance. Each band creates a unique atmosphere for the concertgoer; from intimate and emotional to huge and crazy! It's all about the experience. My most memorable concert experience has to be the first time I saw my favorite band, Coldplay, perform live in 2005. I was had 5th row seats and the concert was the best I have been to. I love to capture these amazing moments through photographs. This photo I took at a Green Day concert is my favorite. It really captures the essence of rock music and the concert experience.

Click HERE for more of my favorite concert photographs.

Click HERE for a list of notable rock bands that are currently or soon to be on tour.

I would love to know what your most memorable concert experiences are and what you think makes a concert great. If you would like to share, please leave a comment below.

Best Sites to Find New Music

2009-05-20T22:24:00.004-04:00

Here is a list of my favorite web sites I use to find new music/artists and news on new cd releases:

1) AccuRadio.com - Basically online radio with no commercials broken down into every category of music imaginable from mainstream to obscure. You can even skip through songs and personalize what you hear by indicating whether you like the track or not and even tell the site to never play it for you agian. You can even build your own channel based on what you want to hear. AccuRadio is great to find new music and hear more of what you love!

2) ArtistDirect.com - Another great site to find music. It also has featured artists/songs, downloads, reviews, entertainment news, and celebrity interviews.

3) Music-Map.com - A neat way to find artists related to your favorites. Just type in the name of a band or musical artist and the site generates a "map" of artisits clustered around the name of the artist you typed in, with the closest names as the most alike. Try it, it's fun, accurate, and informative!

4) PureVolume.com - This site is mostly for little-known rock bands and includes videos and music clips. Many of the bands I have "discovered" on this site have gone on to become huge a year or two later. The site is set up similar to the music section of Myspace with band profiles and playlists.

5) SmartPunk.com - It's similar to PureVolume but is more for buying band merchandise. Think amazon.com but just for rock music. It includes a lot of independant artists as well. I'm a big fan of the "Top 100" section which lists the 100 best-selling cd's of the web site which mostly includes new breakthrough artists. Only downfall is there are not many soundclips to preview.

Coldplay New Live CD - LeftRightLeftRightLeft

2009-05-19T15:53:00.011-04:00

Viva la Coldplay! The band has amazed me with their amount of releases lately! Six months after their June 2008 smash album, "Viva la Vida," they churned out the "Prospect's March EP," an 8-track sequel of sorts with new and previously unreleased songs and mixes. Now, six months after the EP's release, (a see a trend here) Coldplay has surprised fans with a live cd the band is making available as a hard copy free to concertgoers and as a free and legal download to anyone else on their web site: http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html

Tracklist:

1. Glass of Water
2. 42
3. Clocks
4. Strawberry Swing
5. Hardest Part/Postcards From Far Far Away
6. Viva la Vida
7. Death Will Never Conquer
8. Fix You
9. Death and All His Friends

I have taken a listen and am pleasantly surprised. I'm not usually a huge fan of live releases but Coldplay included all the best highlights from the tour as well as songs from "Prospect's March" that I had never heard performed live. Also included were my favorites from prior cd releases, "Viva la Vida, "X&Y," and "A Rush of Blood to the Head." All the energy and nostalgia of a Coldplay concert is here. This is a must-have cd for any Coldplay fan and I highly reccommend it for lesser fans or even people who haven't given Coldplay a chance. What do you have to lose? It's free! http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html

Green Day - "21st Century Breakdown" Review

2009-05-16T17:26:00.009-04:00

Green Day's May 15th release, "21st Century Breakdown," boasts 18 tracks that I have been waiting for about 5 years. It's about time! I guess Green Day tried to make up for lost time with an album that is almost like two cd's in one. My only complaint about having so many songs is that for every great song, there is an equally not-so-great song. Green Day should have nixed a few fillers to make a more solid release (*cough* Christians Inferno and Last Night On Earth *cough*). But those are the few exceptions. The whole cd is familiar yet entirely new in sound. There is a lot of variety and some experimentation but not too much to scare away hardcore fans. The title track should please all who love Green Day rock anthems. Others like !Viva la Gloria! and Peacemaker are a bit different but extremely catchy and addictive. All in all, the lyrics are great, instrumentals are solid and varied, and vocals are spot on. "21st Century Breakdown" is definitely not a carbon copy of "American Idiot" but that is a good think in my opinion. The band has given fans an album that is undeniably Green Day but has demonstrated their growth and depth of creative musical ability. Conclusion: I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Get this cd!

Tracklist with my notes and star ratings:

1. Song of the Century
Just a 57 second intro that could have been left off to start the cd off
strong with "21st Century Breakdown"
2. 21st Century Breakdown
One of the best tracks! It is a catchy rock anthem with a few change-ups
throughout which keeps the energy going. It is unique yet familiar. A bit
reminiscent of Queen as well. 4.5 stars 
3. Know Your Enemy
A classic sounding Green Day song with a slightly repetitive chorus. It
is extremely catchy with a good melody but I swear I have heard GD sing
a song that sounded just like this! 3.5 stars  
4. ¡Viva La Gloria!
Begins as a piano ballad and switches to uptempo rock. It's very different
from their normal sound but I loved it once it got going, although it was
somewhat repetitive. 4 stars
5. Before The Lobotomy
This a slow guitar ballad that's rather sappy in the beginning but picks up
later on. Strange lyrics. 3 stars
6. Christians Inferno
Has a highly annoying repetitive chorus (ie the title) followed by creepy
laughter. I don't like it. Green Day should have left this one as a B-side. 
2 stars 
7. Last Night On Earth
Boring piano ballad, sappy shallow love song; horrible lyrics. 1 star
8. East Jesus Nowhere
Another classic Green Day sounding song with some, let's call them "unique"
lyrics. Nice guitar. 3.5 stars 
9. Peacemaker
Has a western-like sound; very different from the norm. It gets pretty
catchy and grows on you. 3 stars
10. Last Of The American Girls
Basically, a song about a girl. She this, she that. Gets old fast. 2.5 stars
11. Murder City
One of my favorites! Great beat, instrumentation, energy. 4.5 stars
12. ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)
Sort of a continuation of !Viva La Gloria! but way different. Has a
strange but fitting tune. 3 stars
13. Restless Heart Syndrome
Slowish, nice lyrics, great vocals. Not typical Green Day but beautiful!
4.5 stars
14. Horseshoes And Handgrenades
I knew I would like this track when the 1st line was "I'm not F-ing around!"
An energetic rocker! 4 stars
15. The Static Age
Just an ok song, a bit repetitive, kinda hokey lyrics "hey hey it's the static
age!" 3 stars
16. 21 Guns
Slow one. Nice melody, emotion, and lyrics. Very spiritual. Nothing amazing
though. 3.5 stars 
17. American Eulogy (Mass Hysteria/Modern World)
Includes the intro from the cd. Catchy tune, nice mid-breakdown and
instrumentation. 3.5 stars
18. See The Light
Nothing too special, kind of repetitive but ok. Has a classic rock sound.
3.5 stars

May CD Releases

2009-05-13T11:05:00.008-04:00

12 May Tuesday

		Better Than Ezra	Paper Empire
		Bricolage	Bricologe
		Cam'ron	Crime Pays
		Crisis In Hollywood	Safe And Sound
		The Crystal Method	Divided by Night
		The Datsuns	Headstunts
		Steve Earle	Townes
		Evanscapps	Last Time
		Marcio Local	Don Dree Don Day Don Don: Adventures In Samba Soul
		George McConnell	Singles Only
		Meat Puppets	Sewn Together
		15 May Friday
		Green Day	21st Century Breakdown
		19 May Tuesday
		Tori Amos	Abnormally Attracted To Sin
		Busta Rhymes	Back On My B.S.
		CKY	Carver City
		Ear Pwr	Super Animal Brothers III
		Eminem	Relapse
		IAMX	Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction
		Iggy Pop	Preliminaires
		Iron & Wine	Around The Well
		Gregory Alan Isakov	This Empty Northern Hemisphere
		Karate High School	Invaders
		Joe Lovano	Folk Art
		Jason Lytl	Yours Truly, The Commuter
		Method Man And Redman	Blackout! 2
		Chrisette Michele	Epiphany
		Passion Pit	Manners
		Lionel Richie	Just Go
		Polly Scattergood	Polly Scattergood
		Ruben Studdard	Love Is
		John Vanderslice	Romanian Names
		White Rabbits	It's Frightening
		25 May Monday
		Phoenix	Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
		Simple Minds	Graffiti Soul
		WAND [James Jackson Toth project]	Hard Knox or, "Are You Sure Hank Jr. Done it This Way?": Home Recordings 1999-2007 [Wooden Wand demos & recordings]
		26 May Tuesday
		Grizzly Bear	Veckatimest
		Marilyn Manson	The High End Of Low
		Mandy Moore	Amanda Leigh
		Phoenix	Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
		Varsity Fanclub	Varsity Fanclub

Green Day Review Coming Soon!

2009-05-12T15:40:00.010-04:00

Green Day - "21st Century Breakdown" (out May 15)
http://tinyurl.com/greendaynewcd

It's been a long time since 2004's punk rock opera, "American Idiot." All that studio time has hopefully produced a solid 8th album from the trio. Green Day set the bar pretty high though. Let's hope they can equal that effort, if not surpass it.

I have a few doubts from the outset though. It looks like Green Day might not deviate from the proven successful format that made "American Idiot" a hit. "21st Century Breakdown" is divided into 3 "acts" and follows the lives of a young couple song by song.

Hmm...sounds a bit like My Chemical Romance's "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge" that did the same thing, more or less. The album covers look very similar as well:

(Images from Amazon.com)